Feminist scholarship, which arose in the late twentieth century in response to the historically masculine bias of the academy, explores the important but often hidden ways that gender and gender inequality have shaped, and been shaped by, our cultural, social, and personal worlds. In recent years, scholars in the field have increasingly recognized that gender and gender inequality cannot be understood in abstraction from other axes of social identity and power, especially those of race, class, sexual orientation, and nation. Thus, the program in Women's and Gender Studies offers students the opportunity to examine, from both disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives, gender's intersections with other dimensions of social power and identity. In addition to addressing these intersections, courses may focus on developments within feminist thought, on applications of feminist scholarship to a particular field of study, or on selected topics concerning gender and gender inequality. All Women's and Gender Studies classes encourage students to think systematically and critically about gender and to confront the challenges of moving toward a more equitable world.

Requirements for the Women's and Gender Studies Program Major (9 Credits)

There are 9 credits required for the WGS major [prerequisites are listed in brackets behind each course]

1. Students must take at least one of the following courses: (1)

2. Students must take the following three required courses: (3)

One disciplinary methods/theory course (should be chosen in consultation with an advisor and dependent on WGS interests and proposed senior thesis) [WGS 134 or WGS 245--NOTE: Some courses also require WGS 353W]

Courses that will count (additional courses considered by petition):

AES 330 Theory and Methods of American Ethnic Studies (1) [AES 150; junior or senior standing; and at least one elective course in AES]

Part-Time and Visiting Faculty

Course Listings

WGS 134 (EV) Thinking Sex (1)

This course examines assumptions, arguments, evidence and underlying values about biological sex differences, sexuality and gender construction and asks: Who is a woman? Is sex a stable category? What is the future of sex and why does it matter? Drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives and approaches, we further analyze the packaging of sex by consumer culture, global markets and social movements with the goal of exposing some of the varied uses of sex and the implications of what we view as sex differences.

Prerequisite: Open to 1st and 2nd year students only.

General Education Requirement: Examining Values

Offering: Annually

Instructor: Staff

WGS 245 Feminism, Gender and Society (1)

This interdisciplinary course will explore the ways that gender inequality structures aspects of personal lives and social institutions. We will examine a variety of feminist perspectives on work, family, sexuality and culture and will consider the role of class, race and ethnicity in feminist thought. Emphases will vary with instructor.

Offering: Fall

Instructor: Michel, Markowitz, Dunlap

WGS 258 (TH) Women in the Arts (1)

This seminar in women's history examines the lives and contributions of women in the fine arts primarily in Western Europe from the medieval period through the twenty-first century. A series of case studies facilitates historical understanding of women fine artists in the church, in secular society, in the domestic sphere, and in popular culture. Topics include: women's artistic products (music compositions; works of visual art; literature and poetry; videos); women's lives as fine artists in their respective historical period, demographic, and cultural milieu; women's representations of themselves as fine artists in letters and other documents; and present-day biographical narratives of women fine artists.

General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Thinking Historically

Offering: Spring

Instructor: Duerksen

WGS 353W Feminist Theory (1)

This interdisciplinary course will examine such basic issues as gender difference and its relationship to women's subordination; the intersections of gender with other dimensions of social identity and power (e.g., class, race/ethnicity, sexuality, nation); the way gendered discourse shapes social reality. These issues will be discussed from a variety of feminist theoretical perspective (e.g., those influenced by liberalism, Marxism/socialism, psychoanalysis, radical feminism, post-modernism, and post-colonialism). Closed to freshmen.

WGS 358 Topics in Women's and Gender Studies (1)

This course enables faculty and students to focus on a specific topic in Women's and Gender Studies within an interdisciplinary framework. Topics will involve an exploration of some combination of sex, gender, sexuality. Designation of specific topics and relevant cases and theories will be made at the time of course offering.

Prerequisite: One credit in Women's and Gender Studies or consent of instructor.

Offering: Alternate years

Instructor: Staff

WGS 390 Independent Study in Women's and Gender Studies (1)

Qualified students will undertake a program of independent research with a Women's and Gender Studies faculty member. Closed to freshmen.

Prerequisite: WGS major or minor and consent of instructor

Offering: Every semester

Instructor: Staff

WGS 394 Internship in Women's and Gender Studies (.5-1)

The Internship in Women's and Gender Studies course allows students the opportunity to obtain applied experience at an agency or in a social setting where women's or gender issues are prominent. This will allow WGS students the opportunity to go beyond the classroom, thus enabling students to translate and apply knowledge gained in WGS courses into social world experiences.

Prerequisite:WGS 353W and junior or senior standing, or consent of Department Chair

Offering: Every semester

Instructor: Staff

WGS 499W Senior Thesis (1)

Senior Women's and Gender Studies major will research and write senior papers on topics of their choice.